Gurden is a design technologist at Dark Matter Labs and combines different crafts like systems thinking, rapid prototyping, speculative and critical design, data justice and tech materiality together in his practice. He has a background in Computer Science and New Media Design. Gurden has played multi-disciplinary roles in various industries and different sized companies across US, Europe and India.

Devansh Mehta is lead for AI x Public Goods and Governance at the Ethereum Foundation. His current focus is on leveraging machine learning models to allocate funding between projects. Previously, he served on committees at Gitcoin and Octant and was working group lead at Arbitrum DAO.

I work for the Ethereum Foundation as a Project Manager. I also contribute to the project “Decentralised Decision-Making in DAOs: Learnings for Digital Democracy” at the University of Zurich. Previously, I’ve worked as Governance Lead at Safe, the multisig project spun out of Gnosis, and at VitaDAO, one of the first DeSci DAOs. I have also collaborated with Colony, DAOstack's Genesis DAO, Bundesblock, and explored blockchain governance use cases in the context of international cooperation at the GIZ Blockchain Lab.

David Dao is the Co-Founder of GainForest.Earth, a decentralized science non-profit leveraging emerging technologies to address the climate and biodiversity crisis. His work earned him the XPRIZE Rainforest Prize, and he is a leading contributor to research on data valuation in machine learning. David completed his postdoctoral research in environmental and computer science at ETH Zurich and conducted research at MIT, UC Berkeley, and Stanford. He holds a doctorate in computer science from ETH Zurich.

Paul Seidler, an artist and researcher based in Berlin, focuses his exploration on economic systems, decentralized programs, and computation. In 2020, he graduated at the University of Arts in the class of Prof. Joachim Sauter. Seidler is recognized as one of the founding members of terra0, a collective comprising developers, theorists, and artists committed to the development of hybrid ecosystems within the technosphere. Additionally, he collaborates with Max Hampshire as part of Nascent, a production studio, which delves into the examination of alternative infrastructures. Seidler's work has been featured in prominent exhibitions and discussions, including the 7th Athens Biennale, Schinkel Pavillion, Transmediale, the 58th Carnegie International, and KW Institute for Contemporary Art.Since 2022, she has led the festival’s development, helping to shape its programme, partnerships, and strategic direction. The festival is based in Berlin and draws more than 2,000 participants each year, with contributors from around the world. It provides a stage for both high-level public sector leaders and those working behind the scenes — aiming to showcase a broad range of perspectives on how government can work differently and better. Johanna’s work focuses on creating spaces for exchange across silos and hierarchies, and on surfacing public sector innovations that often remain invisible. She is particularly interested in the everyday work of implementation and in the creative capacities that already exist within public administrations. Her aim is not to idealise bureaucracy, but to ask what becomes possible when we take its role seriously as a democratic infrastructure. Johanna has worked with public institutions, independent initiatives, and cross-sector collaborations — always with a focus on building bridges between disciplines and making complex work more accessible. Johanna studied Cultural Studies and brings both analytical and practical perspectives to her role. She believes that public institutions can and should be places of care, learning, and experimentation — and that creative bureaucracy is not a contradiction, but a reflection of the public sector’s potential to adapt and respond to today’s challenges. At the festival and in her broader work, Johanna seeks to connect people who are working towards more imaginative, inclusive, and democratic forms of governance.

Josh is a mathematician and computer scientist at Metagov.

Isabela Fernandes is the Executive Director of the Tor Project since November 2018. She joined the Tor Project as Project Manager in 2015, after working as Product Manager for International and Growth at Twitter for four years. Isabela has been part of the free software community since the late 90s, and in 2007 she co-founded and worked as Latin America Project Manager for North by South, a startup from San Francisco focused on free software projects. Isabela was also part of Brazil’s Federal Government Free Software initiative, working in 2005 on the Ministry of Communications digital inclusion project and participating in 2006 on a project to migrate the IT of the Presidential Palace of Brazil to free software.

Fair money @aboutCircles, Co-founded Gnosis. Supporting @gnosisDAO, @gnosischain, @gnosisSafe, @gnosisguild, @gnosispay, @cowswap

Rene Reinsberg is a co-founder of Celo, Self, and currently President of the Celo Foundation. Celo's Ethereum Layer 2 is at the center of an ecosystem of technologies, organizations, and individuals that all share a mission of building a regenerative financial system that creates the conditions for prosperity for everyone. Self Labs was started by Celo core team members early 2024 to provide essential infrastructure for verifying human identity while preserving individual privacy, with the capacity to scale for hundreds of millions of users Previously, he co-founded Locu (acquired by GoDaddy). Rene started his career in global capital markets at Morgan Stanley and also worked at McKinsey, the World Bank, TechnoServe, and General Catalyst. He holds graduate degrees from Germany's WHU and MIT.

With 15 years of software engineering expertise and as a pioneer in generative machine learning, Apolinário builds tooling and interactive installations directly from the research source. Apolinário is the Head of Machine Learning for Art and Creativity at Hugging Face, where he stays at the cutting edge of AI research, bridging technology and art to support artists and creatives Vogelsteller’s most notable contribution is the ERC-20 token standard, which he proposed in 2015 with Vitalik Buterin. This protocol became the backbone of Ethereum’s token ecosystem, enabling interoperability between tokens, wallets, and exchanges. The ERC-20 standard fueled the ICO wave and remains foundational to DeFi, NFT platforms, and countless crypto projects today. In addition to these innovations, Vogelsteller was a key developer of Web3.js, the JavaScript library that connects web applications to Ethereum smart contracts. This tool empowered a new generation of developers to build dApps using familiar programming languages, accelerating the growth of the decentralized web. Fabian's vision goes beyond technical innovation. A passionate advocate for decentralization and open-source principles, he believes in a Web3 that empowers users with identity, ownership, and creativity. In 2019, this vision culminated in the co-founding of LUKSO, a Layer 1 blockchain designed specifically for the social, creative, and cultural economies. LUKSO introduces Universal Profiles, a new kind of blockchain-based account built on smart contract standards. Unlike traditional wallets, Universal Profiles are modular and programmable and very human friendly. They can store digital assets, manage permissions, hold credentials, and run embedded logic. These profiles serve as decentralized identities for individuals, DAOs, companies, and even AI agents — bringing human-centric design into the heart of blockchain systems. Building on this foundation, Vogelsteller is now creating Universal Everything, the primary interface for Universal Profiles and the social layer of the New Web3. Universal Everything is not just an app, but a dynamic environment where users interact through their profiles, display digital assets, message each other, and run mini-apps. It blends Web2 familiarity with Web3 capabilities, offering a seamless experience that bridges the old internet with the new. In all of his work, Vogelsteller aims to make blockchain more inclusive, expressive, and meaningful. Whether through standards like ERC-20, tools like Web3.js, or platforms like LUKSO and Universal Everything, he continues to lead the way toward a Web3 where identity is owned by users and the internet becomes a canvas for collective creativity.

An artist collective (est. 2018)  that engages in highly collaborative cross-disciplinary projects in co-evolution with technology.  Their work and research converges around the exploration of the self as a network; intimacy and the potential for pleasurable actualization through the digital sphere, and the re-imagination of our alliances with technology seen as part of a sympoietic biosphere and universal post-material consciousness. Through explorations spanning filmmaking, poetic Artificial Intelligence, multi-layered techniques of collage, assemblage and experience-led interventions they create scenarios and build experiential formats that instigate prototyping and rehearsing potential futures and progressing metamodern values. Current and recent selected exhibitions include:  The Window, CHANEL HQ, London (UK), MetaCity at Shanghai Architecture Biennale (CN), Vellum LA (US) , EPOCH.Gallery, The Osaka Museum of Fine Arts (JP), Francisco Carolinum Linz (AU)  iMAL (BEL), Expanded.Art (DE), Art Encounters Biennial (RO), MuseumsQuartier Wien (AT), Belvedere 21 (AT), arebyte London (UK), Chronus Art Center Shanghai (CN), FMAV (IT), AI Biennial (DE), NOWNESS, Office Impart (DE), wrong biennial, Garage Rotterdam (NL), HOFA (UK), Art Basel Miami, (US) Their work has been commissioned by Berggruen Institute & Future Humans (US) , Serpentine Gallery (UK), LAS Art Foundation (DE), CADAF, Google Arts&Culture, ARD Culture (DE), Hypebeast, Labelhood (CN), MetaMedia (CN), Nike (CN), PHI Center (CA), Selfridges (UK), Snap Inc (US), VAN HAM (DE) and Universal (US) amongst others and published internationally.

I am a Lisbon-based artist and computer programmer interested in the interplay between technology and the natural landscape. Using narrative generative systems—animated videos of infinite duration, real-time simulations built in game engines or other software—I create worlds that recontextualize aspects of digital culture we take for granted, often in absurd ways, while investigating the power structures which mediate our relationship with technology. Drawing on media archaeology and art history, my research process traces the origins of our current thought patterns around (technological) progress. My work has been exhibited with Inter/Access (Toronto), Office Impart (Berlin), Panke Gallery (Berlin), SPRING BREAK Art Show (New York), Currents New Media (Center for Contemporary Art Santa Fe), The Wrong Biennale, BASE (Istanbul), Romanian Design Week (Bucharest), Infinite Objects and New York University. My real-time simulation work, Arcadia Inc. was recognized as a 2021 winner of the Lumen Prize in Art and Technology. I hold a B.S. in Computer Science (2016) from Yale University and an M.P.S. in Interactive Telecommunications (2021) from New York University, where I also served as a research resident and adjunct professor.

I’m an independent curator and art strategist, specialising in art and blockchain. I consult museums, cultural organisations and companies on creative collaborations, art & culture-related events and development within the fields of art and culture related to blockchain and web3. I’ve been working directly with the art and blockchain space since 2018, founding the art research department for blockchain foundation Department of Decentralization, amongst other things. I have a strong interest in the sustainability of the art world and the cultural workforce through nascent technologies. I’ve written two reports on the intersection of blockchain and art - There is No Such Thing as Blockchain Art (2019) and Wanderer Above a Sea of FUD: Cultural Workforce, Crypto-anarchism, Intellectual Rights, and Blockchain-based Funding Models for Culture and Arts (2021). The first report has been referred to as one of “two key publications exploring [blockchain’s possibilities and limitations] across varied cultural domains.“ During my career, I’ve worked with a wide variety of cultural and arts organisations and museums, such as the Bundeskunsthalle, Kristianstads konsthall, MoCDA - Museum of Contemporary Digital Art, Berliner Volksbank and artists such as Hito Steyerl, Jakob Kudsk Steensen, Jonas Lund, and Joan Heemskerk (JODI). I’ve been on the International Selection Committee for the Lumen Prize since 2021, advising them on the longlist for moving image and immersive environment.

Stephan Zimmerli is a visual artist, architect, scenographer and musician based in Paris. For the past 25 years, he has developed a singular trans-disciplinary practice at the crossroads of Architecture, Theater and Music – with Visual Arts acting as a central craft, a connective tissue; his constant practice of Drawing is structured and ordered in hundreds of daily notebooks forming the basis of a personal Art of Memory, a “mnemo-topia” gravitating around specific themes: time, reminiscence, atmosphere, mental space. A graduate of the Ecole des Arts Décoratifs and the Ecole d’Architecture de Belleville in Paris, Stephan Zimmerli completed his diploma project with Peter Zumthor at the Accademia di Architettura di Mendrisio, working for several offices in France, Switzerland & Finland (Atelier Zumthor, Jacques Lucan & Odile Seyler, G+ Architects), before starting his own practice as a freelance architect focusing on projects merging sound, performance and space: “Doisneau & la Musique” exhibition at the Philharmonie de Paris, “Klein Leberau” acoustic studiolo for singer/musician Rodolphe Burger, “Les Dessous” theatre café & performance space for the Comédie de Valence in southern France… Since 2005 he has also been teaching Architectural Design, “Atmospherical Image” and “Thinking With The Hand” courses at several European schools: University of East London, ENSAD, Ecole d’Architecture de Paris-Belleville & Rennes, Universität Liechtenstein, Accademia di Architettura di Mendrisio. In 1999, partnering with theatre director, scenographer and playwright Marc Lainé, Stephan Zimmerli setup the scenographic research studio “La Boutique Obscure”, designing over 90 scenography projects throughout France, Switzerland, Belgium, Canada & Peru, before joining the CDN (national drama creation centers) in Valence & Caen as associated artist in charge of hybrid performance projects merging music, architecture and visual arts. In 1995, with 4 other musician friends, he founded the folk-rock group Moriarty, playing double-bass, guitars and keyboards under the alias “Zim Moriarty”, composing and recording 5 albums plus a series of soundtracks for film and theater, achieving multiple gold-records with over 300’000 copies sold and performing over 800 concerts on tour for 10 years around the world, while also being in charge of art direction, graphic design, video clips and photography for their independent record label Air Rytmo. Furthering the principles developed within the band and their label, since 2018 he also started collaborating in the field of contemporary art with Moriarty’s guitarist Charles Carmignac and his Art Foundation on the french island of Porquerolles, working on their visual identity, concept drawings & manifestos, curation and soundtracks for exhibitions, before designing the “Musée-Valise”, a mobile Wunderkammer project bringing contemporary artworks into hospitals & prisons. Stephan Zimmerli’s work has been exhibited in London (Caravanserail & Sketch galleries) and Paris (“Par les petits sentiers” at the Carrousel du Louvre, “Echoes From The Borderline” at Galerie &Co119, “A Dess(e)in” in the nave of the Versailles stables), and has been broadcast into numerous publications and conferences. In 2024 he was selected as artist in residency at the Murate Art District in Florence, and at the Consulat Voltaire art center in Paris, to develop and exhibit his ongoing project, “The Studiolo of Exile”, bringing together Architecture, Scenography and Drawing to materialize and transmit the spatial memories of people living in exile.

Lene Vollhardt / The Sphere (*NYC, USA) is a German-American transmedia and performance artist based in London, UK. Working at the intersection of art and technology, Lene explores how bodies, collaboration, and systems of value intertwine. Their film Swirls of Fortune, an exploration into collective resilience is presented at this event alongside The Spheres' proof-of-celebration campaign—a pioneering initiative transforming performance into mutual support and regenerative finance. As a key collaborator with Sphere DAO, Lene designs protocols that reimagine artistic labor as living systems of care and creation. Their work has been showcased at Impulstanz Festival, Serpentine Arts Futures, and Athens Digital Arts Festival, with writing featured in Outland and Royal Academy of Arts Magazine. Lene is a recipient of the Fokus Award from Nikolaj Kunsthal Copenhagen and scholarships from Kunststiftung Baden-Württemberg and the Royal Academy of Art.

Alessandro Y. Longo is a philosopher and researcher based in Berlin. Alessandro’s research explores subversive uses of technology, cooperative economic models, and cultural mutations in the age of digital networks. He is the founder of REINCANTAMENTO, a research and publishing collective that mobilizes imaginative practices and critical game design methodologies as tools for investigating dominant techno-political architectures, aiming to create spaces of utopian possibility and enchanted desires.

Atabey is a Colombian-Caribbean multidisciplinary artist and curator with a focus on performance, movement, community, pedagogical projects, and cultural heritage practices relevant to historically marginalized peoples and social cohesion. Working over more than 2 decades in different fields of art, as of 2023 Atabey is Curator for Performative Practices at the Haus der Kulturen der Welt - HKW in Berlin, where actively develop and host a numerous programme of performances, workshops, practices, ceremonies, talks, screenings and hybrid formats every year, including the co-curation of the opening exhibition 'O Quilombismo: Of Resisting and Insisting. Of Flight as Fight. Of Other Democratic Egalitarian Political Philosophies', of the the inaugural festival 'Acts Of Opening Again - A Choreography of Conviviality', of the commemorative yearly series about the legacies of the Haitian Revolution 'Bwa Kayiman', or the row of music and dance workshops 'Bullerengue—Intercultural Open Practices of Communitarian Joy and Resilience'. Some significant projects were the co-curation of the exhibition Josephine Baker & Le Corbusier in Rio—A Transatlantic Affair, Museu de Arte do Rio, Rio de Janeiro, 2014; the curation of the 13th, 14th, and 15th iterations of the Contemporary Dance University Festival, Jorge Tadeo Lozano University of Bogota, 2009–11. Other projects include developing in 2013 and 2014 the large scale live interventions 'Proyecto Márgenes 1 & 2', with Vividero Colectivo, in Central Cemetery and Barrio Santa Fe, the red-light district of Bogotá, in collaboration with the Cultural Heritage Institute of Bogotá, the Center for Memory, Peace and Reconciliation and the History Department of National University; curating in 2015 'Blushing Pavilion—250 years of architecture, seaside culture and sexuality in Margate', UK; initiating in 2016 the project Margate Coastal Park, comprising research and strategies for the recuperation of a derelict historic stretch of coastal public space, including the commissioning of public art interventions and the curating of a festival; and in 2022 curating culturally affirmative events for the Latinx community in London with Brixton Reel Mental Wellbeing Project, and with Movimientos at Somerset House. Among various pedagogical frameworks in and outside academia, Atabey has led since 2016 projects catering to groups of all ages, genders and sexualities, of different migration status and origins, of mixed abilities, and to other care and arts practitioners; facilitating embodied, edifying, caring, communal, pleasurable technologies and strategies of reclamation and resistance to hegemonic and historical violence. They co-deviced in November 2023 with Satu Herrala the seminar 'from bodies to bodies - curating as facilitating of coming together - curating as performative practice - curating as embodied practice...' for the students of the BA in Dance at the HZT, UDK - University of Arts, Berlin. In 2021 their film La Nave featuring the work of the collective La Nave De Lxs Locxs in carnaval in Barranquilla, received the New Cinema Awards from Berwick Film & Media Arts Festival, and since then the film continues to be screened internationally. As Sustainability & Innovation Lead at the Cardano Foundation, I bridge cutting-edge blockchain solutions with real-world impact through strategic partnerships and enterprise lighthouse projects with UN agencies, positioning Cardano as the leading blockchain aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals. I also coordinate our engagement with Project Catalyst and emerging ecosystem funding programs, developing frameworks for decentralized funding governance. My work spans the humanitarian & development sector, academia, regulators, and web3 enterprises, representing Cardano Foundation in key committees and global forums. I serve as a Board Member for the International Association for Trusted Blockchain Applications (INABTA) and as a WEF Global Shaper in the Geneva Hub. I hold a Masters in International Affairs from the Geneva Graduate Institute and a Bachelor's in Economics, Finance & Social Development from the University of Cape Town, with extensive experience in education, research, innovation cooperation, and international NGOs.In 2020, he and his friends founded the future-village SonnErden in the Rhön. More than 30 adults and 20 children now live in the multi-generational housing project. Responding to the outbreak of war in Ukraine in February 2022, Kunert initiated #unterkunft-ukraine, which became Germany's largest platform for connecting refugees with free accommodation, facilitating safe housing for more than 60,000 individuals. He currently works as a Senior Manager and Researcher at neosfer GmbH. With a keen interest in blockchain solutions and machine learning applications in finance, I am eager to deepen my expertise in these revolutionary fields and contribute to their continued growth. As an ambitious and forward-thinking professional, I am excited to connect with like-minded individuals who share my enthusiasm for driving change in the financial landscape. British and Chilean National. Nicki studied psychology, neuroscience, and philosophy, and has trained as a coach and mediator, as well as in Microsolidarity. In recent years, he co-created and co-managed a coworking community in Berlin-Kreuzberg, Imago Space and is currently stewarding The Garden - an organisation for inner and outer regeneration. Over the past decade, Crystal has helped launch 0→1 ventures, scale startups into new markets, and grow funding platforms that facilitate billions in capital flows. Her work spans early-stage venture design, digital product innovation, business growth strategy, and multi-stakeholder coordination. Today, she partners with mission-aligned founders, funders, and ecosystems working at the edge of what’s possible—from AI and Web3 to cleantech and nature-based solutions. Her background includes institutional investment, impact finance, digital assets, and climate technology—with a strong focus on fintech for resilience, inclusive clean technologies, and digital public infrastructure that empowers the commons. Yet the most foundational system guiding her work is nature itself. You’ll find her sailing through the Caribbean, freediving alongside Indigenous communities in the Andaman Sea, or trekking the highlands of the Caucasus—attuning to the intelligence of Earth as a living, interconnected whole. At the core of her approach is a systems lens—one that doesn’t just ask how to build better tools or increase efficiency, but how technology and innovation can rewire the underlying systems to bring about a more regenerative, inclusive, and resilient future for people, other beings, and the planet. She believes the most vital work today happens in the in-between: between sectors, between silos, between the built world and the living one. Her approach blends strategic execution with inner transformation and deep ecosystem weaving. She believes the most vital work today lives in the spaces in between: between knowledge and practices, between human systems and ecological ones, between the built world and the Earth’s wisdom —between I and We. It is in these intersections that new possibilities take root—where collaboration, imagination, and regeneration converge. Crystal’s work is rooted in the principle that we are stewards of the systems we inhabit. That regeneration is not a niche, but a baseline. That collaboration—not extraction—is the currency of thriving systems. She draws from systems thinking, regenerative design, and the belief that the infrastructures we create—whether digital, financial, or technological—must be inclusive, adaptive, and community-governed. Currently, through her work at Eka Frontier—the impact-driven, climate-focused venture studio and advisory she founded—Crystal is focused on building and supporting projects, startups and platforms that harness emerging technologies such as AI, Web3, geospatial intelligence, and IoT. She takes a holistic view of capital, encompassing natural, social, human, and produced forms, with the goal of strengthening resilience across food, energy, social, and ecological systems. Whether through product design, ecosystem architecture, or venture scaling strategy, her work asks: How can we harness the tools, technologies, and infrastructures humanity has developed to flow in alignment with our intention to build a future that is inclusive, regenerative, and resilient?He studied business administration in Potsdam and Moscow and did his doctorate in Business Information Systems on the characteristics of changeable systems at the University of Potsdam. There he also set up and managed the learning factory in the Industry 4.0 Center. He was a visiting researcher at the Universities of Stellenbosch, Queensland University of Technology and Hong Kong Polytechnic University. He then worked as part of a junior research group on transformative potentials of digitally networked production for people, the environment and technology as a post-doctoral researcher at the University of Potsdam. His work focuses on the opportunities and risks of digitalisation for the socio-ecological transformation of companies and society.

I am an interdisciplinary nomad and explorer of the forefront of technology and culture. My life has led me through a vast diversity of environments; from playing in rock bands, to working in web3, all the way to an academic trajectory that led me to pursing PhD in philosophy of science, which I am currently on. The research involves "researching research environments" using social science methods to investigate complex cross-disciplinary coordination through a focus on situated cooperative work mediated by protocols. For these purposes, I have conducted participatory action-oriented fieldwork in local agricultural plant science institutes in Greece. In parallel, I mostly find myself being an independent "scout" for emerging scenes of techno-cultural novelty exploring alternatives. This has led me through crypto, mostly focused on Ethereum, where I had been part of various DAOs and other orgs, mainly focused around organization and governance (Metagame, SCRF, MetaGov). I have since moved out of the web3 sphere to related countercultural movements in P2P, makerspaces commoning, being an associate to the Crypto Commons Association. I am also Vice President of the Society for Multidiscipinary and Foundamental Research (SEMF), a Spanish-based NGO experimenting with creating spaces for transdisicplinary intersection between science, humanities and art, beyond academia, mostly through event organizing. My latest fascination has been the prefigurative potentials of fiction and worldbuilding. I have been rallying for establishing a stronger network of sci-fi writers focused on alternative economic and institutional imaginaries and this workshop is part of this effort.

Ruben Russel, from Curaçao, is a UI/UX designer and sociologist with over six years of experience in Web3 product design. He specializes in decentralized finance (DeFi), regenerative finance (ReFi), and governance tools that center community needs. As the in-house designer at Bread Coop, he has contributed to projects on Gnosis and Optimism, including Breadchain and Optimistic Builder Dollar. His academic background in sociology (MSc) shapes his user-centered approach, focusing on how digital systems distribute value and power. He is also preparing a PhD proposal on the social impact of wealth in Curaçao.

Joshua Dávila is a writer and podcaster of The Blockchain Socialist focused on the intersection of technology, politics, and post-capitalist thought. Originally operating under a pseudonym, he publicly emerged with the publication of his book Blockchain Radicals: How Capitalism Ruined Crypto and How to Fix It, released by Repeater Books in 2023. He is a co-founder of the Breadchain Cooperative, which develops crypto applications from a post-capitalist perspective. Dávila has interviewed leading voices in the crypto space such as Vitalik Buterin, Ethan Buchman, and Chris Goes, as well as critics like Cory Doctorow. He has collaborated with researchers like Primavera De Filippi to explore the ideological roots of the Network State concept. His writing has appeared in publications including Friends With Benefits and Outland, and he is the co-author of the science fiction series Katabasis Chronicles with Beth McCarthy.

Catherine Leigh Schmidt is an artist, designer, and writer from the united states. her work focuses on economic media, post-capitalism, and land. she is based between new mexico and sachsen-anhalt, germany.

Luce deLire is a ship with eight sails and lies down by the quay. She holds a PhD in philosophy and is currently an Assistant Professor at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. Her work engages metaphysics, aesthetics, political theory, and queer/trans studies. Her performances and collaborations include the Venice Biennale, the Royal Academy of Arts London, Centre Georges Pompidou, Haus der Kulturen der Welt Berlin and many cultural venues and universities across Europe and the US. Recent publications appeared in e-flux journal, British Journal for the History of Philosophy, and Philosophy Today. She is currently working on two books: Fascism, Capitalism and THE BABY and Spinoza on Gender and Sexuality. Luce is also part of trans activist group "Selbstbestimmung Selbst Gemacht" (SBSG - self determination on our own terms), with whom she co-wrote an alternative self determination law and organized the federal networking conference "queerokratia". For more, see www.getaphilosopher.com and queerokratia.de, as well as IG: @Luce_deLire and @buendnis.selbstbestimmung

Rok Kranjc is an independent researcher and artist working at the intersection of political ecology, post-capitalist economics, and participatory futures. He is the founder of Futurescraft, a studio exploring collaborative futuring, games, performance, and their potentiation through anticipatory knowledge and design commoning infrastructures. Rok serves as active president of the Crypto Commons Association, supporting theoretical and practical innovation in the emerging field of crypto commons. He is also co-founder of the international cooperative Participatory Futures Global Swarm. His notable projects include the modular board game and game show Game-Changers: The Game, and the public intervention series Future 14b. Rok frequently collaborates with the P2P Foundation, contemporary art institute Aksioma, theatre organization Maska, and multispecies design collective Trajna. He serves as editor at the Journal of Futures Studies, and has translated several books into Slovenian, including The Politics of Environmental Discourse, Designs for the Pluriverse, and Governing the Commons.

Liz Steininger is the CEO/Managing Director of Least Authority, a leading Web3 security consulting company and builder of privacy enhancing technology products, including Private.Storage and Winden.App. Least Authority specializes in securing Web3 products, capability-based security and implementing advanced cryptography, especially zero-knowledge proofs (ZK) and multi-party computations (MPC). Beyond security audits for new technologies, Least Authority has also released the MoonMath Manual, a practical guide for developers to understand zero-knowledge proofs. The company focuses on cutting-edge security and empowering users to control their right to privacy.

Built on the open source principles of transparency, education, and collaboration, JUST Open Source Stiftung drives the Web3 conversation concerning the operational ramifications of building cutting edge technology. We believe the key to realizing the Web3 promise of self sovereignty and data custody is to educate the general population about decentralized tech and to support research that drives adoption. Since 2015, our team has witnessed the trajectory of blockchain development. We were in the room when major players made core decisions. We had a hand in the formulating of on-chain governance mechanisms as part of the diverse collectives. We analyzed technical decisions as members of organizations like Web3 Foundation, Ethereum, and Parity Technologies, among others. We were there. This is why we’ve built the JUST Grant.

Sunita Grote leads the Ventures team within UNICEF’s Office of Innovation and co-founded its Venture Fund that provides seed funding in fiat and crypto - the first in the UN system. UNICEF Ventures explores how emerging frontier technology can accelerate results for the most marginalized children, including through investments in open source solutions from emerging markets. She steers UNICEF's co-leadership of the Digital Public Goods Alliance, a network of partners who collectively contribute to the discovery, development, and deployment of open source digital public goods. Sunita has a background in innovative financing and previously spent 10 years working in the global HIV and health response based mostly in the UK and in South Asia. She holds an MBA from INSEAD and lives with her partner and two children. He studied business administration in Potsdam and Moscow and did his doctorate in Business Information Systems on the characteristics of changeable systems at the University of Potsdam. There he also set up and managed the learning factory in the Industry 4.0 Center. He was a visiting researcher at the Universities of Stellenbosch, Queensland University of Technology and Hong Kong Polytechnic University. He then worked as part of a junior research group on transformative potentials of digitally networked production for people, the environment and technology as a post-doctoral researcher at the University of Potsdam. His work focuses on the opportunities and risks of digitalisation for the socio-ecological transformation of companies and society.

Stephen Reid is a technologist, facilitator and coach who has trained in the fields of AI/ML, complexity science, physics, transformative coaching and insight meditation. Current projects include writing a book on Technological Metamodernism, hosting courses and residencies as a founder of Futurecraft, and leading the development of Dandelion as a founder of not-for-profit worker co-op Symbiota. Previously, he founded The Psychedelic Society, which established the first legal psilocybin retreat programme in Europe, and served as the youngest ever board member of Greenpeace UK. Stephen has an MPhys in Physics from the University of Oxford, where he specialised in quantum field theory, an MRes in Complexity Science from the University of Bristol, and a Professional Certificate in Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence from UC Berkeley. He lives with his fiancé Laura in Stockholm, Sweden, where he is an active contributor to Emerge Lakefront and a keen swimrunner.

Jonas is a dynamic product manager and project developer on a mission to revolutionize our financial system through innovative, sustainable solutions. With a strong engineering background and seven years of experience in fast-paced, innovative projects, he has sharpened his expertise in digital product development, particularly in the energy sector and B2B digital platforms. Passionate about sustainability, alternative currencies, and cutting-edge technology, Jonas is dedicated to applying his skills to projects that reimagine monetary systems and foster regenerative economies. At the heart of Jonas’s work is his commitment to #ReFi—redefining finance to prioritize sustainability and community empowerment. His enthusiasm for alternative currencies fuels his involvement in projects that challenge conventional financial models and promote localized, equitable systems of exchange. This passion is complemented by his love for adventure and the outdoors, where he finds balance through kitesurfing and climbing. These pursuits mirror his bold, problem-solving mindset, which he brings to both his professional and personal endeavors. Currently, Jonas is deeply engaged in two transformative projects. As a Product Manager at BE.IMPACT, he is responsible for building a digital platform and suite of tools to manage and grow the BE.IMPACT ecosystem. His work focuses on creating intuitive, scalable solutions that empower users to participate in a sustainable, impact-driven economy. By blending his technical expertise with a user-centric approach, Jonas ensures the platform meets the needs of its expanding community while advancing the organization’s mission to drive positive change. In parallel, Jonas serves as a Product and Project Developer at Citizen Wallet, where he focuses on implementing community currencies for cities and networks. This role enables him to directly contribute to the development of innovative financial tools that strengthen local economies and promote resilience. By designing and deploying digital solutions for community currencies, Jonas helps municipalities and networks create systems that prioritize social and environmental well-being over profit. His ability to navigate complex technical challenges while keeping the end-user in focus has made him a vital contributor to Citizen Wallet’s success. Jonas’s engineering foundation, combined with his experience in high-stakes, innovative environments, equips him to tackle the unique challenges of building sustainable financial systems. His work is driven by a belief that technology can be a force for good, capable of addressing systemic issues in finance and beyond. Whether he’s scaling a digital platform, designing tools for alternative currencies, or riding waves as a kitesurfer, Jonas approaches every challenge with creativity, determination, and a commitment to making a lasting impact. With a forward-thinking vision and a hands-on approach, Jonas is at the forefront of the movement to create a more equitable and sustainable financial future. Through his leadership at BE.IMPACT and Citizen Wallet, he is not only building innovative products but also laying the foundation for a world where finance serves people and the planet.

Andrea's path took a pivotal turn when she realized that her work in digital innovation, rather than creating useful solutions, was merely applying band-aids to problems driven by an extractive economic paradigm. This awakening led her to explore how digital technology can fundamentally reshape governance, economies, and collective sensemaking toward regenerative systems. Based in Catalunya, her research examines bioregionalism as a framework for sustainable human-nature relationships at both local and planetary scales. As the Bioregional Knowledge Commoning Fellow at r3.0, she facilitates the creation of federated knowledge commons supporting bioregional resilience.

Rita Palma, originally from Portugal and currently based in Malmö and Berlin, holds a degree in Fine Arts and has recently earned a Master's in Leadership for Sustainability. With a diverse background, Rita has co-founded an online art platform and has experience in event management and social media strategy. Rita serves as a communication strategist for a community hub in Switzerland, and has contributed in a similar role for Traditional Dream Factory, a land-based web3 regenerative organization in Portugal. Her passion lies at the intersection of art and sustainability, exploring how creative experiences can reshape narratives. In this field, she has organized artist residencies and worked within an interdisciplinary foundation. Rita is passionate about creating spaces that liberate us from conventional thinking, encouraging imagination, innovation, and the exploration of impactful ideas. She believes that fostering transdisciplinary and intersectional dialogue is crucial for systemic transformation and advancing all dimensions of sustainability. Her most recent work includes completing her Master's Thesis, titled "Biosphere Reserves and Multispecies Perspectives Integration," alongside her colleague, Lilli Johansson-Blake.

John leads work at the intersection of emerging technology, planetary stewardship, and human dignity. He works across research, design, and engineering to develop systems that make complex spatial data verifiable, interoperable, and more useful in practice. His approach blends theoretical insight with practical implementation — building infrastructure that’s meant to last, and meant to be used. John is the founder of *Astral*, an open-source initiative building location-aware infrastructure for the decentralized web, and co-leads a research team at the University of Maryland studying proof-of-location systems, peer-to-peer geospatial data management, and verifiable geocomputation frameworks. Previously, he co-founded Toucan, a pioneering climate finance platform. He also co-chaired the World Economic Forum’s Web3 Climate Action Working Group and co-authored the WEF report Blockchain for Scaling Climate Action. An early member of the Kernel community, John has spent the past several years advising and collaborating with technologists, researchers, and institutions committed to building a more open, resilient internet. He holds an MSc in Spatial Data Science and Visualisation from University College London, where he graduated with distinction. His work spans climate, conflict, conservation, and the creative reimagination of public infrastructure. Offline, you’ll likely find him sailing, snowboarding, cycling, or in search of wild, quiet places.

Rade Stijović (born 1999, Montenegro) is a graphic designer and visual artist. In his design practice, he primarily operates in the field of design for the cooperatives and cultural scene. Some of his notable projects include: the graphic design for the Mangelos Award for NUA Remont (2024), and the visual identity for the Festival praznog prostora (2021). His artistic-research projects include: the solo exhibition Snovid otiskanih glasova* (*Reveriee of Printed Voices*) at Galerija Prostor, CHC Split (2024); the video installation *Submerging into the Scattered Noise*, awarded an honorable mention at the Milčik Award, CGU "Miodrag Dado Đurić" (2023); and the video installation *Mise-en-scène for Conversation*, which was showcased at the *Crna Gora Danas* (*Montenegro Today*) exhibition, MSU Podgorica (2024), and the *II Biennale of Young Artists*, ULUS Belgrade (2023). He is a graduate of **Kulturpunkt’s Journalism School** (2022/2023). He is a member of the Breadchain Cooperative and **Treća Ruka** (*Third Hand*), artist collective based in Podgorica, and co-editor of the *N.F.B sveska* .

Nick Houde is a researcher and writer living in Berlin. He is the Head of Research for the creative studio co-matter and writes a monthly newsletter about geopolitics, technology, and culture. In recent years he has conducted research on DAO workers with Other Internet, investigated networked cooperative ecosystems with V6A Labs, and conducted ethnographic work for start-ups. From 2016-2022, he was a researcher and assistant curator for the Anthropocene and Technosphere projects at the HKW in Berlin.

Sarah Baxendell operates at the intersection of ecological systems and emerging technology, creating frameworks that redirect capital toward planetary regeneration. As Regenerative Design Director at ArtEcology, she leads a multidisciplinary collective developing innovative approaches to biodiversity enhancement and climate resilience. At Layer Labs, Sarah serves as COO, guiding the development of groundbreaking AVS technology in the Ethereum ecosystem that aligns decentralized systems with regenerative principles. Her blockchain expertise stems from co-founding Regen Network, where she pioneered digital infrastructure for ecological market creation and verification. Sarah's portfolio spans both digital and physical landscapes: developing biodiversity credit architecture for Antilles Reserve in Barbados, designing bioregional financing mechanisms, and transforming 1,000 acres of urban land in Pittsburgh, including America's largest urban farm. Her systems work includes co-authoring the Pittsburgh Climate Action Plan and securing over $47 million for ecosystem restoration initiatives. Trained in finance, sustainable design, permaculture, and botanical medicine, Sarah brings rare interdisciplinary expertise to blockchain applications for ecological markets. Her approach demonstrates how distributed technologies can create transparent, efficient mechanisms for redirecting capital toward regenerative outcomes while honoring the complexity of living systems. Sarah Baxendell is Regenerative Design Director at ArtEcology and COO of Layer Labs. Learn more at artecology.studio and layer.xyz

Ira Nezhynska is a designer and creative director in open-source and decentralized tech who helps developers-turned-founders accelerate their product mass adoption through the power of emotion-led visual experiences and brand strategy. After years working for global brands and fintech giants like Deutsche Bank, ING Bank, Wirecard and DNB Bank, she joined Web3 in early 2018 and has since served as a Creative Director at companies big and small, helping founders win hearts and minds of early adopters and funders. At her last in-house role, Ira led an internal brand studio at Protocol Labs, ensuring the aesthetic excellence of branding and web projects for Protocol Labs Network partners. These days, she runs her own design practice as a fractional Creative Director, gives design talks (https://nezhynska.com/talks) and workshops, and organizes design+marketing educational spaces at Web3 events, like Adoption Hub at Devcon SEA, Design Tracks at DWeb Camps and Product Track at IPFS Camp.

Cassie Thornton is changing. In the apocalypse, everything must change, including us and the work we value and how we value things. We call Cassie an artist because we don't have a better title for someone working this hard on invisible stuff, like changing. But in another time, she might have been called a janitor, one in a long line of descendents of Janus –two faced god of transitions, time and passages– in Ancient Roman myth. Cassie has come to clean up the messes of her confused, lonely and dysfunctional family, the beneficiaries of the western empires. A two-faced catalyst, Cassie works in at least two ways to clean up some of the old colonial and capitalist garbage lying around our collective psychic architecture. First, using good-natured practices she has developed including The Hologram, she helps groups and individuals build social infrastructure with trust, integrity and communication that will naturally evict hierarchies and toxic uses of power. This work includes workshops, consulting, and lectures about care, debt and crisis. This work can live independently or can be the groundwork for the second type of work, which includes sharp and incisive political art about the absurdity of our most sacred social structures (power, privilege, financialization and security) on a burning planet. This work has recently included writing extensively about The Flat White Dimension where we drink coffee and talk about the world burning, attending a tech conference as a working class elder from the future, or turning a Swiss Spa into a place that transforms privilege into something useful. Cassie wrote a popular book called The Hologram published by Pluto Press, and helped launch an international social movement where all caregivers are cared for. She is also a steward for a bar that is secretly a social clinic in Berlin called The Casino for Social Medicine.

Ievgen Kylymnyk is a Regional Project Manager for UNDP Eurasia working on innovation and systems transformation in Europe and Central Asia. Previously Ievgen Kylymnyk served as an Innovation Officer at the UN Secretariat (Department for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs) where he focused on exploring generative AI for global peace and security and supported other innovation projects, including VR experiences and capacity building. Prior to that, Ievgen served as Head of Exploration at the UNDP Accelerator Lab in Ukraine, where he led innovation projects to find solutions to governance and sustainable development challenges. His work focused on testing and scaling new methods for development, such as collective intelligence and participatory foresight. Ievgen also facilitated knowledge management processes on innovation with other UNDP Accelerator Labs globally. Before joining UNDP, Ievgen worked in various positions in the European Union Advisory Mission to Ukraine on Security Sector Governance and the Administration of the President of Ukraine. As Head of the Strategic Reforms Planning and Donor Cooperation Unit at the Presidential Office of Ukraine, he dealt with a wide range of responsibilities related to overarching and crosscutting issues, focusing on strategy development, public policy issues, and e-governance reforms.

I am Dr. Felipe Schmidt Fonseca, an experienced Berlin-based Brazilian advocate for social-environmental innovation and free/open-source technologies turned researcher. I am the founder of Reuse City studio and a co-creator of semente, a toolkit for community projects; as well as the co-founder and lead articulator of the Tropixel network; and an active member of organisations such as GIG and Circular Berlin. Between 2019 and 2022, I was a Marie Curie Early Stage Research Fellow (University of Dundee / Northumbria University / Mozilla Foundation). I have recently engaged in collaborations such as ID21, fonte.wiki, ALGO-BR, and CODE. I have a PhD in Design from Northumbria University (Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK). The title of my thesis successfully defended in September 2023 is "Generous cities – weaving commons-oriented systems for the reuse of excess materials in urban contexts". Before that, I got an MA in Scientific and Cultural Dissemination from Labjor at the University of Campinas (UNICAMP) in Brazil, acquired with a dissertation about networked experimental labs.

Jake Hartnell is the CEO and Co-Founder of Layer.xyz, a cutting-edge platform focused on building decentralized infrastructure for the Web3 ecosystem. At Layer.xyz, Jake leads the strategic vision and drives innovation, aiming to advance blockchain technology's role in decentralized finance (DeFi) and governance. Before Layer.xyz, Jake co-founded Juno, an interchain launchpad enabling dApps to quickly find their audience, and Stargaze, a protocol for NFTs within the Cosmos ecosystem. His deep involvement in DAOs led to the creation of DAO DAO, a no-code platform for decentralized organization management. Jake's current focus is on expanding the Ethereum ecosystem and exploring innovations with projects like EigenLayer to enhance Layer 2 solutions and decentralized infrastructure. Areas of Expertise: ● Ethereum and Layer 2 solutions ● Decentralized Finance (DeFi) and blockchain infrastructure ● Decentralized Autonomous Organizations (DAOs) and governance models ● Interoperability across multi-chain ecosystems

Ethan Frey is the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) and Co-founder at Layer.xyz, where he drives the development of decentralized infrastructure with a focus on Actively Validated Systems (AVS) to enhance blockchain security and efficiency. His technical leadership aims to push the boundaries of innovation in Web3 by creating scalable and secure solutions that support decentralized finance and governance. Before joining Layer.xyz, Ethan founded CosmWasm, a secure and performant smart contract platform that facilitates multi-chain interoperability. He also led Confio GmbH, advancing open-source blockchain protocols and tools, and architected Mesh Security, a bi-directional “restaking-like” protocol for the Cosmos ecosystem. Ethan’s extensive contributions to blockchain technology include writing the original specification and implementation of the Inter-Blockchain Communication (IBC) protocol, as well as building the first version of the Cosmos SDK, solidifying his role as a key innovator in the Cosmos ecosystem. Currently, Ethan's work at Layer.xyz includes expanding capabilities in the Ethereum and EigenLayer ecosystems while advancing AVS technology to redefine how smart contracts and decentralized systems verify data. Areas of Expertise: Custom Blockchain Development (Cosmos SDK, CosmWasm) Actively Validated Systems (AVS) Blockchain infrastructure and decentralized finance (DeFi) Ethereum ecosystem and Layer 2 solutions Multi-chain interoperability and distributed governance

Eileen works in privacy, security, and decentralization and advises teams and organizations on UX design and research. Her focus is on content and interaction design -- and anything that helps people make sense of complex technologies. She enjoys facilitating relationships between the builders and users of technology, and works across for-profit and non-profit sectors.

Tara is a political science PhD candidate at the CNRS/ University Paris II, a research fellow at The New School in New York and associate researcher at the Weizenbaum Institute in Berlin. Her research focuses on Exit to Community, i.e. converting companies in the digital platform economy into community ownership and governance. She previously worked as a strategy analyst, educator and research consultant in the blockchain industry after studying in Maastricht, Hong Kong, and Dublin where she completed her MSc in the field of information systems management focusing on institutional entrepreneurship in Bitcoin.

I am an interdisciplinary researcher working on Ethics of Technology and Computer Science. I did my PhD in Ethics of Technology research on moral values in decentralized systems at Delft University of Technology (the Netherlands). I worked as a Postdoc at the Distributed Systems Section of Delft University for four years, working on identity management solutions, benchmarking of blockchain protocols, decentralized reputation, and MEV mitigation tools. I now work as a researcher at Inria, Distributed Systems at the University of Rennes (France). My current research is focused on ethics of blockchain applications, ethical risk analysis for decentralized systems, and identity management.

Grayson Earle is a new media artist and educator. He has taught at Oberlin College, The New School, and the City University of New York. He is the creator of Bail Bloc and a member of The Illuminator art collective. He is currently participating in the Braunschweig Projects artistic residency program. Earle’s work uses the context of art to materialize ideas and forms surrounding the role that digital technologies and networks can play in protest and political agency. He exhibits both inside and outside traditional art spaces, working with guerrilla video projection, cryptocurrency, machine learning, simulation, sculpture, and the internet. He has held fellowships at Akademie Schloss Solitude, ZK/U, Ujazdowski Castle Centre for Contemporary Art, and Pioneer Works. His work and research have been presented at institutions including The Whitney Museum of American Art, MoMA PS1, Radical Networks, the Magnum Foundation, and Open Engagement. Recent exhibitions include the Brooklyn Museum (USA), Centro de Cultura Digital (Mexico), KateVass Galerie (Switzerland), and The Red House (Taiwan).

Zsofia Samodai is Community Researcher at Wyvern Art Fund, coorganizing events and designing protocols that aid collaboration and value social and embodied aspects of artistic creation and reflection. They have graduated with a masters degree in Science, Technology and Society and Brain Science. They use somatic practices as reflection tools on our habits as humans on various levels, ranging from the personal, psychological, cultural to social and systemic, arriving at conclusions from an embodied perspective that precedes theory. They collaboratively practice a mutual aid social protocol called The Hologram and occasionally host consent workshops.

Full Stack Engineering at Aztec Labs, work ranging from zkvm research - peer to peer networking - compilers

Katia Lukicheva is a systems strategist working at the intersection of civil society, philanthropy, and emerging technologies to rethink how we fund, govern, and sustain public goods. She brings two decades of experience across grassroots activism and civil society movements, policy design, global philanthropy, and financing institutions — shaping advocacy, developing funding strategies, and enabling movement-led change. Throughout her work, she has challenged how power, politics, and money shape access to and delivery of public goods. She has built ecosystems of actors to expose and resist harmful funding practices, demand accountability, and develop alternative approaches that push for more equitable resource allocation. Today, Katia leads Decoland, a strategic design lab exploring how responsible digital innovation — including Web3, blockchain, and digital public goods — can enable plural, ethical, and community-aligned models for civil society finance. She is developing the Civic Resilience Stack, a systems framework that helps civil society and tech ecosystems map how governance, identity, capital, and assets can work together to support communities as co-stewards of resilient infrastructure. She also leads CivicChain, an initiative prototyping bridges between civil society and emerging tech through capacity building, strategic learning, and pilot development. Through CivicChain, she is co-developing pilots with funders and civic actors to test new governance structures, unlock mission-aligned capital, and create practical onramps between Web2 and Web3 ecosystems. Katia specializes in designing ecosystem strategies and enabling environments where funders, technologists, and civic actors can collaborate to explore, co-create, and pilot real-world solutions. From funding flows and governance models to narrative tools and interoperability infrastructure, she assembles the partnerships, mechanisms, and shared frameworks that turn cross-sector ambition into community-led action.

Andrej is an organizational developer with a focus on the decentralised economy. He is the founder of the design firm Deep Work, which has helped web3 startups, fortune 500 companies and open source teams design their digital products, brands, and organizations. He is an advocate for collaborative environments that support wellbeing and meaningful work as an integral part of life.

Andreas Arnold is an industrial engineer, social entrepreneur, and expert in cooperative business models and financing. He serves on the board of Platform Coops eG and has long supported startups, founder teams, and companies working on social innovation and cooperative platform models. To help shape the cooperative digital economy in Germany and Europe, Andreas is actively engaged in the Web3 space—particularly in the areas of blockchains and decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs). He previously led the digital transformation and marketplace development of the freelancer cooperative SMartDe eG, coordinated the marketplace strategy for the blockchain-based UBI project Circles, and advised its partner organization Circles Coop eG. Most recently, he co-founded coopDAO, a new initiative building bridges between the cooperative economy and Web3 technologies.

Born in 1993 in Germany, Anna Ehrenstein lives and works between Berlin and Tirana. Her work has been featured in numerous solo exhibitions, including: Museum Villa Stuck, Munich; C/O Berlin; Francisco Carolinum, Linz; Kunstverein Braunschweig; Weserburg Museum für moderne Kunst Bremen; Goethe-Institut, New York; Melkweg Expo, Amsterdam; KOW and Office Impart, Berlin. She has participated in major international biennials, including the Lagos Biennial (2024), The New Visions Triennial Oslo (2023), Biennale für aktuelle Fotografie (2022), and the Ural Industrial Biennial (2021). In 2026, her work will be featured at the Quebec Biennial, and in 2025 as a collateral of the Kiew Biennial at the Museum Of Modern Art in Warszawa. Additionally she has also taken part in group exhibitions at institutions such as: Museum Folkwang, Essen; Kunsthaus Hamburg; Museum of Modern Art, Warsaw; Heidelberger Kunstverein; Maxim Gorki Theater, Berlin; Shrine Empire Gallery, New Delhi; Bag Factory, Johannesburg; Pablo’s Birthday, New York; Galerija Škuc and City of Women Festival, Ljubljana; Circulation(s) Festival, Paris and Les Rencontre D'arles, among others. Her interdisciplinary practice engages with post-digital imaginaries, diasporic identities, spiritual coalition and the aesthetics of networked realities, often through collaborative and transmedial formats.

Caroline Paulick-Thiel is a strategic designer and director of Politics for Tomorrow, a non-partisan initiative that aims to enhance the innovation capacity of the public sector to facilitate transformative change processes. They work at the intersection of government and civil society, focusing on commons-public partnerships.

Kat is a startup builder in the Ethereum ecosystem. Most recently she was Head of Product at Gitcoin, building protocols and mechanisms for funding open source software. Previously she was Head of Product at Zora, a protocol for funding creators on the internet, and in her past life she built tools for musicians at companies such as Ableton, SoundCloud and BCG Digital Ventures. She is the founder of ethevacuations, an initiative to fundraise crypto for evacuations from Gaza.

Ben is a RaidGuild member and an expert on decentralised identity and Web3 infrastructure, who also reads for a PhD in DLT-based decentralised governance of small jurisdictions. As an entrepreneur, he successfully launched two Web3 consultancies in the past three years and received funding backed by the European Union on multiple occasions.

Simone Robutti is a former software engineer turned organizational consultant, serving primarily co-operatives, democratic workplaces, and associations . He has been politically active, among other things, within Tech Workers Coalition for more than 6 years. More recently, he joined Reversing.works to work on digital investigations against digitally-mediated labor platforms (i.e. food delivery and data workers gig platforms)

Charlie is known for his advice, research and activism on operationalising the long-term stewardship of land, particularly in the pursuit of urban affordable housing. He is a Co-founder of Komma, a research-action agency whose team have spent more than a decade working with citizens, municipalities, philanthropy and the construction sector to conceptualise a new civics catalysed by decentralised technology. With a background in architecture, he is completing a PhD in Spatial Planning and was on the team that launched the first tokenised land trust.

Rainer Rehak is part of the research group “Digitalization, Sustainability, and Participation” at the Weizenbaum Institute for the Networked Society, he is an associated researcher at the Berlin Social Science Center (WZB) and is currently doing his PhD on systemic IT security and societal data protection at the TU Berlin. He studied computer science and philosophy in Berlin and Hong Kong and has been working on the implications of the computerization of society for over 15 years. His research fields include technology impact assessment, collective data protection, systemic IT security, state hacking, computer science and ethics, fictions of technology, digitization and sustainability, convivial and democratic digital technology, epistemics of automation, digital (de-)colonialism, and the implications and limits of AI systems. He also publishes regularly in non-scientific outlets and is an expert witness for parliaments (e.g., the German Bundestag) and courts (e.g., the German Constitutional Court). Together with other digital policy and environmental organizations, he initiated the "Bits & Bäume" conference for digitization and sustainability.

Ela Kagel is a digital strategist and expert in commons-based economies, organisational design, and cooperativism. For over two decades, she has been creating spaces that foster cultural exchange, digital innovation, and collective empowerment. Since the 1990s, Ela has been instrumental in developing networks and platforms that challenge extractive models of technology and economics. In 2010, she co-founded SUPERMARKT, an independent hub for digital culture and collaborative economy in Berlin. There, she has spent over a decade curating conferences, workshops, and research projects that explore cooperative practices and equitable digital infrastructures. Ela is also co-founder and board member of Platform Coops eG, a coop that supports the development of the digital, cooperative economy across sectors. In parallel, she co-founded Poetic Technologies, a collective enterprise dedicated to reimagining digital infrastructures beyond bureaucratic constraints. Past roles include artistic director of MoneyLab Berlin (2021), curator for Transmediale Festival (2009–2011), and long-time collaborator with Public Art Lab. Throughout her career, Ela has consistently bridged the cultural and digital spheres with a focus on democratic ownership, radical care, and community-led innovation.

Eleftherios Diakomichalis is the founder of Drips, a complete toolkit for allocating and distributing capital to open source builders. He is also a co-founder of Radicle, a sovereign peer-to-peer network for code collaboration.

I'm the founder and lead of ReFi Barcelona and operations lead at ReFi DAO. Over the past three years, I’ve been organizing and supporting communities and programs across the ReFi and DAO ecosystems. My focus is on coordinating efforts to build interconnection within and between ReFi, Regen, Web3, and local ecosystems — catalyzing real-world adoption and supporting local groups working on the ground to advance the ecosocial transition, aligned with the spirit of Ethereum Localism and Regen Coordination. 🌿

Felix Fritsch is a political economist and community organizer working at the intersection of technology and societal transformation. With a background in political and economic theory, he crafts narratives that connect technological innovation—particularly in the blockchain and crypto space—with broader movements for systemic change. He is the founder of the Crypto Commons Association and the Commons Hub, a retreat and research venue in the Austrian Alps dedicated to exploring post-capitalist futures. Felix recently completed his PhD in Political Science at the Scuola Normale Superiore, where his dissertation, The Emergence of the Crypto Commons, explored how decentralized technologies are reshaping collective resource governance. His work combines insider ethnography with socio-technical analysis to understand how communities can repurpose blockchain infrastructure for the commons.

Long term cryptocurrency enthusiast and software engineer. Skeptical of the industry, believer in the movement. Likes freedom and dislikes landlords. Book smart on computers, street smart on vibes

Olha Pylypenko is a creative producer and strategist working at the intersection of digital culture, contemporary art, and emerging technologies. Her work centres on shaping collaborative projects, from early concept through to public presentation—spanning online platforms, physical exhibitions, and hybrid spaces. Currently at fx(hash), Olha leads artist-focused initiatives and public programmes that support the growth of generative art.

Fabian Vogelsteller is a software developer and entrepreneur whose work has shaped the blockchain and Web3 space. Best known for creating the Ethereum Mist wallet and authoring the ERC-20 token standard, Vogelsteller has helped lay the technical and conceptual foundation for decentralized applications, user-friendly wallets, and tokenized economies. In Ethereum’s early days, Vogelsteller created the Mist wallet, the first user-facing application for the Ethereum blockchain. It was a major leap forward in usability, allowing users to manage their ether, deploy smart contracts, and explore dApps in a visual environment. Mist transformed the developer-centric blockchain landscape into something far more accessible for everyday users. Vogelsteller’s most notable contribution is the ERC-20 token standard, which he proposed in 2015 with Vitalik Buterin. This protocol became the backbone of Ethereum’s token ecosystem, enabling interoperability between tokens, wallets, and exchanges. The ERC-20 standard fueled the ICO wave and remains foundational to DeFi, NFT platforms, and countless crypto projects today. In addition to these innovations, Vogelsteller was a key developer of Web3.js, the JavaScript library that connects web applications to Ethereum smart contracts. This tool empowered a new generation of developers to build dApps using familiar programming languages, accelerating the growth of the decentralized web. Fabian's vision goes beyond technical innovation. A passionate advocate for decentralization and open-source principles, he believes in a Web3 that empowers users with identity, ownership, and creativity. In 2019, this vision culminated in the co-founding of LUKSO, a Layer 1 blockchain designed specifically for the social, creative, and cultural economies. LUKSO introduces Universal Profiles, a new kind of blockchain-based account built on smart contract standards. Unlike traditional wallets, Universal Profiles are modular and programmable and very human friendly. They can store digital assets, manage permissions, hold credentials, and run embedded logic. These profiles serve as decentralized identities for individuals, DAOs, companies, and even AI agents — bringing human-centric design into the heart of blockchain systems. Building on this foundation, Vogelsteller is now creating Universal Everything, the primary interface for Universal Profiles and the social layer of the New Web3. Universal Everything is not just an app, but a dynamic environment where users interact through their profiles, display digital assets, message each other, and run mini-apps. It blends Web2 familiarity with Web3 capabilities, offering a seamless experience that bridges the old internet with the new. In all of his work, Vogelsteller aims to make blockchain more inclusive, expressive, and meaningful. Whether through standards like ERC-20, tools like Web3.js, or platforms like LUKSO and Universal Everything, he continues to lead the way toward a Web3 where identity is owned by users and the internet becomes a canvas for collective creativity.

Marina is the director and co-founder of the European Crypto Initiative (EUCI), a European advocacy group focused on crypto regulation. Since 2017, Marina has been working with crypto projects on governance and legal matters with a focus on decentralization, DeFi and NFTs. Marina is an expert on key crypto regulatory topics and follows the recent regulatory developments and their influence on the industry.

Passionate of building tools and educational materials to augment developers and help onboard users to new technologies. Leveraging a strong research background to create amazing user experiences and communicate complex topics in simple terms.

Shai here from the Near Founder Success team! I'm a Principal Ecosystem Architect focused on building ecosystems, strategic partnerships, and technical enablement for Web3 and AI projects. I've been in tech for 30 years, from building distributed systems in the Navy to architecting enterprise-scale solutions at Deloitte and Lockheed Martin, and leading AWS blockchain initiatives. My passion today is empowering builders to accelerate their Web3 and AI solutions through clear guidance, technical frameworks, and effective go-to-market strategies. I'm especially excited about revolutionizing learning through blockchain and AI, ensuring a path for students to take ownership of their credentials and learning path.

Experience Designer. We create spaces, spaces create us. New interactions need new infrastructure. How do we design spaces that catalyze new ways of relating to each other? Academic background in developmental psychology and cognitive neuroscience. Formerly behavioral therapist for children with ASD. Currently, experience designer creating open-format, multi-generational nodes for hyperlocal community regeneration.

Former architect that has been engaging in the Ethereum community since 2016. Writing about Ethereum at trent.mirror.xyz. Started Protocol Guild in 2021 and have since scaled it to 190 members, $28mm distributed, $50mm vesting over the next 4 years. Co-coordinated the KZG trusted setup for EIP-4844, and various other core protocol projects. Creating cultural artifacts to celebrate protocol upgrades via Stateful Works, which raises funds for core development. Interested in non-state infrastructure, shared resource stewardship, solidarity primitives, politics of software, commons, capture.

Lorena Junghans is an award-winning impact producer, FES scholarship recipient, honors graduate of Filmuniversity Babelsberg KONRAD WOLF, won the 2022 Bertha Foundation "Artivist Award" for their collaboration with Palestinian musician Rasha Nahas and was granted the STARTBÜRO - scholarship for founders. Lorena is an alumni fellow of CIRCE (Creative Impact Research Centre Europe), the “Empower Now” bv Impact Hub, “health & wellbeing” by tbd* as well as a former resident of SOAM. As an impact producer, Lorena brings collective expertise to projects across artist management, film and virtual reality. Notable projects include Biennale di Venezia winner "From the Main Square." Lorena is part of teams at KINDA, The Palestine Music Space and CONNECTED DIFFERENCES e.v., offering systemic change for sustainable and equitable solutions.

Jocelyn is a social change facilitator and mediator based in Berlin. She is a Coordinator of the Microsolidarity Network and specialises in designing gatherings and facilitating immersive experiences that support change-makers and community builders to foster belonging, mutual aid and real-world impact in their field of influence. Nicki studied psychology, neuroscience, and philosophy, and has trained as a coach and mediator, as well as in Microsolidarity. In recent years, he co-created and co-managed a coworking community in Berlin-Kreuzberg, Imago Space and is currently stewarding The Garden - an organisation for inner and outer regeneration. Over the past decade, Crystal has helped launch 0→1 ventures, scale startups into new markets, and grow funding platforms that facilitate billions in capital flows. Her work spans early-stage venture design, digital product innovation, business growth strategy, and multi-stakeholder coordination. Today, she partners with mission-aligned founders, funders, and ecosystems working at the edge of what’s possible—from AI and Web3 to cleantech and nature-based solutions. Her background includes institutional investment, impact finance, digital assets, and climate technology—with a strong focus on fintech for resilience, inclusive clean technologies, and digital public infrastructure that empowers the commons. Yet the most foundational system guiding her work is nature itself. You’ll find her sailing through the Caribbean, freediving alongside Indigenous communities in the Andaman Sea, or trekking the highlands of the Caucasus—attuning to the intelligence of Earth as a living, interconnected whole. At the core of her approach is a systems lens—one that doesn’t just ask how to build better tools or increase efficiency, but how technology and innovation can rewire the underlying systems to bring about a more regenerative, inclusive, and resilient future for people, other beings, and the planet. She believes the most vital work today happens in the in-between: between sectors, between silos, between the built world and the living one. Her approach blends strategic execution with inner transformation and deep ecosystem weaving. She believes the most vital work today lives in the spaces in between: between knowledge and practices, between human systems and ecological ones, between the built world and the Earth’s wisdom —between I and We. It is in these intersections that new possibilities take root—where collaboration, imagination, and regeneration converge. Crystal’s work is rooted in the principle that we are stewards of the systems we inhabit. That regeneration is not a niche, but a baseline. That collaboration—not extraction—is the currency of thriving systems. She draws from systems thinking, regenerative design, and the belief that the infrastructures we create—whether digital, financial, or technological—must be inclusive, adaptive, and community-governed. Currently, through her work at Eka Frontier—the impact-driven, climate-focused venture studio and advisory she founded—Crystal is focused on building and supporting projects, startups and platforms that harness emerging technologies such as AI, Web3, geospatial intelligence, and IoT. She takes a holistic view of capital, encompassing natural, social, human, and produced forms, with the goal of strengthening resilience across food, energy, social, and ecological systems. Whether through product design, ecosystem architecture, or venture scaling strategy, her work asks: How can we harness the tools, technologies, and infrastructures humanity has developed to flow in alignment with our intention to build a future that is inclusive, regenerative, and resilient?He studied business administration in Potsdam and Moscow and did his doctorate in Business Information Systems on the characteristics of changeable systems at the University of Potsdam. There he also set up and managed the learning factory in the Industry 4.0 Center. He was a visiting researcher at the Universities of Stellenbosch, Queensland University of Technology and Hong Kong Polytechnic University. He then worked as part of a junior research group on transformative potentials of digitally networked production for people, the environment and technology as a post-doctoral researcher at the University of Potsdam. His work focuses on the opportunities and risks of digitalisation for the socio-ecological transformation of companies and society.

Nicki studied psychology, neuroscience, and philosophy, and has trained as a coach and mediator, as well as in Microsolidarity. In recent years, he co-created and co-managed a coworking community in Berlin-Kreuzberg, Imago Space and is currently stewarding The Garden - an organisation for inner and outer regeneration.

Gilberto Morishaw is a leading techno-futurist and systems thinker who empowers leaders and organizations to navigate the complex intersection of climate, technology, and society. He inspires audiences to envision and build a regenerative future, drawing on his expertise in systems thinking, regenerative practices, and future-oriented leadership. Hailing from Curacao, he brings new perspectives from the frontlines of the societal crises facing the world today. He has addressed global audiences at prestigious forums including the World Economic Forum, the EU Parliament, COP27, and the World Bank, sharing his insights on how to create a more sustainable and equitable world. His ideas have been published in Newsweek, the WEF, The Herald and a variety of government reports. He is a contributor for Bread Cooperative and ReFiDAO. He is a co-director for the Creative Regenerative Futures Foundation, former Youth Advisor for the European Commissioner for International Partnerships, German Marshall Fund TILN Alumnus, public speaker, poet and artist. He is a Global Shaper and Davos50 Fellow for the World Economic Forum, and a board member for the Impact Economy Foundation’s 2100 movement. Gilberto has worked and contributed in many fields. From his role as Head of Impact, Equity, and Inclusion for Kolektivo, a regenerative finance startup, to his work with countless government institutions both local and global.. Gilberto helps organizations contribute towards creating a better society by enabling them with the right inspiration, wisdom and analysis needed to navigate a future that is filled with risks and crises. He is an expert in curating programs, moderating and navigating difficult conversations and has co-created programs for organizations like Pakhuis de Zwijger, Springtij, True Price and Systemic Justice. Gilberto has a background in International and European Governance and Global Impact. He leads on topics ranging from AI, climate change, and migration to systems thinking, youth and web3. Gilberto is President of the supervisory board of the Dutch Caribbean civil society foundation OCAN, a Board of Trustees member for the geopolitics firm Krijger & Partners and a societal council member for the Dutch Research Institute for the Transitions. He also advises Operal AG, a startup on impact gamification, and MoneyTri, a financial literacy and investment startup. Gilberto also has a background in activism and has organized climate marches and pushed for change on a local, national and international level.

David has worked in crypto for over a decade, focusing on ecosystem-level change through fundraising, movement-building, and blockchain-driven socioeconomic innovation. A 4x founder, he also helped scale a company to 8-figure revenue and advises several growth-stage startups. His experience spans founding, corporate roles, VC, public goods funding, event production, and ecosystem incubation. He discovered blockchain’s potential for cross-border payments in 2013 and launched his first blockchain asset on Bitcoin’s Colored Coins in 2015. David has also worked in humanitarian sectors, produced events in 10+ countries, and spoken in 25.

Hudson Headley is a protocol engineer dedicated to decentralized governance, worker ownership, and innovative post-capitalist economic structures. As the creator of Poa, the Perpetual Organization Architect, Hudson designs blockchain-based tools that enable resilient, worker-owned organizations. Hudson currently serves as a developer at Breadchain Coop, with a background in computer science and economics from the University of Kansas, Hudson has developed multiple hackathon winning blockchain projects, notably earning recognition at ETH Denver. He actively contributes to open-source initiatives and secures grants to foster decentralized collaboration.

Entrepreneur and software developer, I grew up in between Belgium and Sri Lanka. After moving back to Belgium a few years ago, I started working on Citizen Wallet. In the process, discovering open source and web3.

Tech and nature lover, software engineer and entrepreneur. Enjoys making the world a better place through technological innovation.

As the Ecosystem Growth Lead at the Stellar Development Foundation, Anke Liu oversees programs and initiatives catalyzing innovation and expansion of the Stellar ecosystem, including the Stellar Community Fund. Her collaboration with BlockScience on the creation of Neural Quorum Governance paves the way for a new governance standard featuring liquid democracy and reputation-based voting. Anke is driven by a passion for decentralized coordination structures and impactful innovation in Web3.

Gianmarco Cristofari Is a data protection lawyer and a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Palermo and the New York School of Law. His work is on platformization as a social process.

Sam McCarthy is a crypto builder, researcher, and writer. As the ecosystem lead at DAOstar, he supports the DAOstar community, publishes open-source research, and manages fundraising. He is also building a project that provides essential social infrastructure to individuals working in DAOs and addresses problems within the existing digital labor environment. McCarthy previously worked at venture studio, Spartan Labs, and consulted for marketing DAO, Myosin. He received an MSc from the London School of Economics, later publishing his dissertation on the governance practices of DeFi protocols in peer-reviewed journal, New Sociological Perspectives. His newsletter features essays on such topics as DAOs, decentralized governance, and digital public goods.

André Ullrich heads the research group "Digitalisation, Sustainability and Participation" at the Weizenbaum Institute for the Networked Society and is currently doing his habilitation on responsible and sustainable digitalisation. He studied business administration in Potsdam and Moscow and did his doctorate in Business Information Systems on the characteristics of changeable systems at the University of Potsdam. There he also set up and managed the learning factory in the Industry 4.0 Center. He was a visiting researcher at the Universities of Stellenbosch, Queensland University of Technology and Hong Kong Polytechnic University. He then worked as part of a junior research group on transformative potentials of digitally networked production for people, the environment and technology as a post-doctoral researcher at the University of Potsdam. His work focuses on the opportunities and risks of digitalisation for the socio-ecological transformation of companies and society.

Lukas Kunert is a serial founder and initiator of various initiatives. His first company was a business that produced organic underwear and unfortunately failed very quickly. After a research phase in which he focused on the topic of the future of insurance and published a research paper on it, he started a peer-to-peer insurance platform in 2018. This then pivoted to a platform for the financial transactions of groups. elinor was the first company in Germany to offer a group account for classes, teams, and other initiatives. In 2020, he and his friends founded the future-village SonnErden in the Rhön. More than 30 adults and 20 children now live in the multi-generational housing project. Responding to the outbreak of war in Ukraine in February 2022, Kunert initiated #unterkunft-ukraine, which became Germany's largest platform for connecting refugees with free accommodation, facilitating safe housing for more than 60,000 individuals. He currently works as a Senior Manager and Researcher at neosfer GmbH. With a keen interest in blockchain solutions and machine learning applications in finance, I am eager to deepen my expertise in these revolutionary fields and contribute to their continued growth. As an ambitious and forward-thinking professional, I am excited to connect with like-minded individuals who share my enthusiasm for driving change in the financial landscape. British and Chilean National. Nicki studied psychology, neuroscience, and philosophy, and has trained as a coach and mediator, as well as in Microsolidarity. In recent years, he co-created and co-managed a coworking community in Berlin-Kreuzberg, Imago Space and is currently stewarding The Garden - an organisation for inner and outer regeneration. Over the past decade, Crystal has helped launch 0→1 ventures, scale startups into new markets, and grow funding platforms that facilitate billions in capital flows. Her work spans early-stage venture design, digital product innovation, business growth strategy, and multi-stakeholder coordination. Today, she partners with mission-aligned founders, funders, and ecosystems working at the edge of what’s possible—from AI and Web3 to cleantech and nature-based solutions. Her background includes institutional investment, impact finance, digital assets, and climate technology—with a strong focus on fintech for resilience, inclusive clean technologies, and digital public infrastructure that empowers the commons. Yet the most foundational system guiding her work is nature itself. You’ll find her sailing through the Caribbean, freediving alongside Indigenous communities in the Andaman Sea, or trekking the highlands of the Caucasus—attuning to the intelligence of Earth as a living, interconnected whole. At the core of her approach is a systems lens—one that doesn’t just ask how to build better tools or increase efficiency, but how technology and innovation can rewire the underlying systems to bring about a more regenerative, inclusive, and resilient future for people, other beings, and the planet. She believes the most vital work today happens in the in-between: between sectors, between silos, between the built world and the living one. Her approach blends strategic execution with inner transformation and deep ecosystem weaving. She believes the most vital work today lives in the spaces in between: between knowledge and practices, between human systems and ecological ones, between the built world and the Earth’s wisdom —between I and We. It is in these intersections that new possibilities take root—where collaboration, imagination, and regeneration converge. Crystal’s work is rooted in the principle that we are stewards of the systems we inhabit. That regeneration is not a niche, but a baseline. That collaboration—not extraction—is the currency of thriving systems. She draws from systems thinking, regenerative design, and the belief that the infrastructures we create—whether digital, financial, or technological—must be inclusive, adaptive, and community-governed. Currently, through her work at Eka Frontier—the impact-driven, climate-focused venture studio and advisory she founded—Crystal is focused on building and supporting projects, startups and platforms that harness emerging technologies such as AI, Web3, geospatial intelligence, and IoT. She takes a holistic view of capital, encompassing natural, social, human, and produced forms, with the goal of strengthening resilience across food, energy, social, and ecological systems. Whether through product design, ecosystem architecture, or venture scaling strategy, her work asks: How can we harness the tools, technologies, and infrastructures humanity has developed to flow in alignment with our intention to build a future that is inclusive, regenerative, and resilient?He studied business administration in Potsdam and Moscow and did his doctorate in Business Information Systems on the characteristics of changeable systems at the University of Potsdam. There he also set up and managed the learning factory in the Industry 4.0 Center. He was a visiting researcher at the Universities of Stellenbosch, Queensland University of Technology and Hong Kong Polytechnic University. He then worked as part of a junior research group on transformative potentials of digitally networked production for people, the environment and technology as a post-doctoral researcher at the University of Potsdam. His work focuses on the opportunities and risks of digitalisation for the socio-ecological transformation of companies and society.

I'm passionate about harnessing blockchain technology to drive sustainable development and innovation at scale. As Sustainability & Innovation Lead at the Cardano Foundation, I bridge cutting-edge blockchain solutions with real-world impact through strategic partnerships and enterprise lighthouse projects with UN agencies, positioning Cardano as the leading blockchain aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals. I also coordinate our engagement with Project Catalyst and emerging ecosystem funding programs, developing frameworks for decentralized funding governance. My work spans the humanitarian & development sector, academia, regulators, and web3 enterprises, representing Cardano Foundation in key committees and global forums. I serve as a Board Member for the International Association for Trusted Blockchain Applications (INABTA) and as a WEF Global Shaper in the Geneva Hub. I hold a Masters in International Affairs from the Geneva Graduate Institute and a Bachelor's in Economics, Finance & Social Development from the University of Cape Town, with extensive experience in education, research, innovation cooperation, and international NGOs.In 2020, he and his friends founded the future-village SonnErden in the Rhön. More than 30 adults and 20 children now live in the multi-generational housing project. Responding to the outbreak of war in Ukraine in February 2022, Kunert initiated #unterkunft-ukraine, which became Germany's largest platform for connecting refugees with free accommodation, facilitating safe housing for more than 60,000 individuals. He currently works as a Senior Manager and Researcher at neosfer GmbH. With a keen interest in blockchain solutions and machine learning applications in finance, I am eager to deepen my expertise in these revolutionary fields and contribute to their continued growth. As an ambitious and forward-thinking professional, I am excited to connect with like-minded individuals who share my enthusiasm for driving change in the financial landscape. British and Chilean National. Nicki studied psychology, neuroscience, and philosophy, and has trained as a coach and mediator, as well as in Microsolidarity. In recent years, he co-created and co-managed a coworking community in Berlin-Kreuzberg, Imago Space and is currently stewarding The Garden - an organisation for inner and outer regeneration. Over the past decade, Crystal has helped launch 0→1 ventures, scale startups into new markets, and grow funding platforms that facilitate billions in capital flows. Her work spans early-stage venture design, digital product innovation, business growth strategy, and multi-stakeholder coordination. Today, she partners with mission-aligned founders, funders, and ecosystems working at the edge of what’s possible—from AI and Web3 to cleantech and nature-based solutions. Her background includes institutional investment, impact finance, digital assets, and climate technology—with a strong focus on fintech for resilience, inclusive clean technologies, and digital public infrastructure that empowers the commons. Yet the most foundational system guiding her work is nature itself. You’ll find her sailing through the Caribbean, freediving alongside Indigenous communities in the Andaman Sea, or trekking the highlands of the Caucasus—attuning to the intelligence of Earth as a living, interconnected whole. At the core of her approach is a systems lens—one that doesn’t just ask how to build better tools or increase efficiency, but how technology and innovation can rewire the underlying systems to bring about a more regenerative, inclusive, and resilient future for people, other beings, and the planet. She believes the most vital work today happens in the in-between: between sectors, between silos, between the built world and the living one. Her approach blends strategic execution with inner transformation and deep ecosystem weaving. She believes the most vital work today lives in the spaces in between: between knowledge and practices, between human systems and ecological ones, between the built world and the Earth’s wisdom —between I and We. It is in these intersections that new possibilities take root—where collaboration, imagination, and regeneration converge. Crystal’s work is rooted in the principle that we are stewards of the systems we inhabit. That regeneration is not a niche, but a baseline. That collaboration—not extraction—is the currency of thriving systems. She draws from systems thinking, regenerative design, and the belief that the infrastructures we create—whether digital, financial, or technological—must be inclusive, adaptive, and community-governed. Currently, through her work at Eka Frontier—the impact-driven, climate-focused venture studio and advisory she founded—Crystal is focused on building and supporting projects, startups and platforms that harness emerging technologies such as AI, Web3, geospatial intelligence, and IoT. She takes a holistic view of capital, encompassing natural, social, human, and produced forms, with the goal of strengthening resilience across food, energy, social, and ecological systems. Whether through product design, ecosystem architecture, or venture scaling strategy, her work asks: How can we harness the tools, technologies, and infrastructures humanity has developed to flow in alignment with our intention to build a future that is inclusive, regenerative, and resilient?He studied business administration in Potsdam and Moscow and did his doctorate in Business Information Systems on the characteristics of changeable systems at the University of Potsdam. There he also set up and managed the learning factory in the Industry 4.0 Center. He was a visiting researcher at the Universities of Stellenbosch, Queensland University of Technology and Hong Kong Polytechnic University. He then worked as part of a junior research group on transformative potentials of digitally networked production for people, the environment and technology as a post-doctoral researcher at the University of Potsdam. His work focuses on the opportunities and risks of digitalisation for the socio-ecological transformation of companies and society.

Beth McCarthy is a Berlin-based strategist, researcher, experience designer and curator. She is a Program Director at Funding the Commons, an organization exploring new models & mechanisms for open source & public goods funding. Formerly of web3 projects including Curve Labs, Centrifuge, Toucan, Gnosis and Ocean Protocol, Beth is passionate about the lunarpunk potential future of blockchain and enjoys geeking out at the intersection of art, philosophy, law and computational systems of behavior. She also brings ecosystem weaving and experience design to collaborators including Layer Labs and Art Ecology Design. In Ethereum’s early days, Vogelsteller created the Mist wallet, the first user-facing application for the Ethereum blockchain. It was a major leap forward in usability, allowing users to manage their ether, deploy smart contracts, and explore dApps in a visual environment. Mist transformed the developer-centric blockchain landscape into something far more accessible for everyday users. Vogelsteller’s most notable contribution is the ERC-20 token standard, which he proposed in 2015 with Vitalik Buterin. This protocol became the backbone of Ethereum’s token ecosystem, enabling interoperability between tokens, wallets, and exchanges. The ERC-20 standard fueled the ICO wave and remains foundational to DeFi, NFT platforms, and countless crypto projects today. In addition to these innovations, Vogelsteller was a key developer of Web3.js, the JavaScript library that connects web applications to Ethereum smart contracts. This tool empowered a new generation of developers to build dApps using familiar programming languages, accelerating the growth of the decentralized web. Fabian's vision goes beyond technical innovation. A passionate advocate for decentralization and open-source principles, he believes in a Web3 that empowers users with identity, ownership, and creativity. In 2019, this vision culminated in the co-founding of LUKSO, a Layer 1 blockchain designed specifically for the social, creative, and cultural economies. LUKSO introduces Universal Profiles, a new kind of blockchain-based account built on smart contract standards. Unlike traditional wallets, Universal Profiles are modular and programmable and very human friendly. They can store digital assets, manage permissions, hold credentials, and run embedded logic. These profiles serve as decentralized identities for individuals, DAOs, companies, and even AI agents — bringing human-centric design into the heart of blockchain systems. Building on this foundation, Vogelsteller is now creating Universal Everything, the primary interface for Universal Profiles and the social layer of the New Web3. Universal Everything is not just an app, but a dynamic environment where users interact through their profiles, display digital assets, message each other, and run mini-apps. It blends Web2 familiarity with Web3 capabilities, offering a seamless experience that bridges the old internet with the new. In all of his work, Vogelsteller aims to make blockchain more inclusive, expressive, and meaningful. Whether through standards like ERC-20, tools like Web3.js, or platforms like LUKSO and Universal Everything, he continues to lead the way toward a Web3 where identity is owned by users and the internet becomes a canvas for collective creativity.

Shady El Damaty, Ph.D. is the CEO and co-founder of Holonym Foundation. Previously, Shady was a cognitive neuroscientist and the pioneering visionary behind DeSci. He created the first decentralized science DAO, built a verified identity registry, and worked to archive hundreds of terabytes of critical neuroimaging data on resilient decentralized infrastructure. Today, he is again breaking new ground by building Human.Tech, a framework for hardened individual natural digital rights made immutable with decentralized infrastructure.In Ethereum’s early days, Vogelsteller created the Mist wallet, the first user-facing application for the Ethereum blockchain. It was a major leap forward in usability, allowing users to manage their ether, deploy smart contracts, and explore dApps in a visual environment. Mist transformed the developer-centric blockchain landscape into something far more accessible for everyday users. Vogelsteller’s most notable contribution is the ERC-20 token standard, which he proposed in 2015 with Vitalik Buterin. This protocol became the backbone of Ethereum’s token ecosystem, enabling interoperability between tokens, wallets, and exchanges. The ERC-20 standard fueled the ICO wave and remains foundational to DeFi, NFT platforms, and countless crypto projects today. In addition to these innovations, Vogelsteller was a key developer of Web3.js, the JavaScript library that connects web applications to Ethereum smart contracts. This tool empowered a new generation of developers to build dApps using familiar programming languages, accelerating the growth of the decentralized web. Fabian's vision goes beyond technical innovation. A passionate advocate for decentralization and open-source principles, he believes in a Web3 that empowers users with identity, ownership, and creativity. In 2019, this vision culminated in the co-founding of LUKSO, a Layer 1 blockchain designed specifically for the social, creative, and cultural economies. LUKSO introduces Universal Profiles, a new kind of blockchain-based account built on smart contract standards. Unlike traditional wallets, Universal Profiles are modular and programmable and very human friendly. They can store digital assets, manage permissions, hold credentials, and run embedded logic. These profiles serve as decentralized identities for individuals, DAOs, companies, and even AI agents — bringing human-centric design into the heart of blockchain systems. Building on this foundation, Vogelsteller is now creating Universal Everything, the primary interface for Universal Profiles and the social layer of the New Web3. Universal Everything is not just an app, but a dynamic environment where users interact through their profiles, display digital assets, message each other, and run mini-apps. It blends Web2 familiarity with Web3 capabilities, offering a seamless experience that bridges the old internet with the new. In all of his work, Vogelsteller aims to make blockchain more inclusive, expressive, and meaningful. Whether through standards like ERC-20, tools like Web3.js, or platforms like LUKSO and Universal Everything, he continues to lead the way toward a Web3 where identity is owned by users and the internet becomes a canvas for collective creativity.

Nanak Nihal is the president of Holonym Foundation which builds technology to cryptographically harden digital human rights.

Florian Eblenkamp supports ICAN’s work in nuclear umbrella states, focusing on building political support for the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW). He coordinates with partners worldwide, strengthens the ICAN Parliamentary Pledge and Cities Appeal, and engages in political outreach, media, and public speaking. Florian holds MAs in Public Policy (King’s College London) and Political Data Journalism (University of Zurich), with a background in International Relations & Management. He has worked with institutions such as the European Commission, Germany’s development ministry, and the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung.

Oliver is an industrial engineer slash economist who designs governance mechanisms for work and develops an economic pattern language in his spare time.

I am a Sustainability expert passionate about implementing solutions to mitigate impacts on climate, nature, and people. I work as a Sustainability Integration Lead for the Built Environment to integrate various environmental indicators and design holistic mitigation and adaptation strategies. This includes conducting whole life cycle analysis for buildings and their materials and integrate them with energy performance assessments, carbon footprint and impact on the environment. This complements previous work with businesses, start-ups and communities along the value chain in the forestry and agricultural sector and in urban environments on assessing ecosystem services, biodiversity and values of nature assets. My work is centred around finding integrated solutions that focus on people and nature's well-being, and I enjoy connecting and exchanging knowledge across different domains and sectors.

I WORK at the intersection of technology and philosophy, bridging theory and practice to promote thoughtful innovation. I CARE about the social and political impact of cryptography, peer-to-peer networks, and distributed systems in empowering individual autonomy, protecting freedoms, and creating systems that resist censorship. I OFFER my expertise and facilitate collaboration for groups that uphold these principles, with a commitment to promoting shared prosperity and upholding human rights in the digital space.

Alistair explores the ecological and socal impact of technologies in workshops, art, research, writing and lots of other (hopefully) engaging ways. Alistair led the award.winning Glass Room Project (www.theglassroom.org ), an immersive art project on data privacy, consumer technology and disinformation, with major exhibitions in Berlin, London, New York and San Francisco, that reached over 150,000 people worldwide. Since 2020, he was worked on his own projects under reclaimed.systems, working with art and campaigning networks worldwide. His recent projects include: Connection Matters, an installation reflecting on our relationship to technology, and Ecologies of Technlogy: Tools to Disconnect/Reconnect – a 5-week course on intentional analogue practice among other joyful offline pursuits. Alistair is currently leading technical research on a systems design project into regenerative pathways for AI and digital infrastructures. https://reclaimedsystems.substack.com/ https://reclaimed.systems reclaimed_alicma@mastodon.world

Amelia builds AI that decodes the body’s most complex signals. Her work on foundational brain-interface algorithms, cited thousands of times, has helped shape modern neurotechnology. She’s led AI and data science efforts across academia, defense, and high-velocity startups, working with hardware and business teams to transform biosignals into predictive products that empower human wellbeing.

María Paula Fernández is an entrepreneur, strategist, writer and curator working in crypto since 2017. She's from Buenos Aires, Argentina and lives in Berlin, Germany. Before joining Avara as Director of Growth, Maria Paula ("MP") co-founded JPG, a company that built cultural infrastructure for NFTs. She's also the Founder and former Managing Director of Department of Decentralization/ETHBerlin, an NGO dedicated to educating about crypto and alternative technologies since 2018. MP is a seasoned crypto native that throughout her career has consulted on or worked for some of the most prominent projects in the blockchain world. For MP, like for most Latin Americans, crypto is life-saving technology and essential to survive and thrive by giving back control of systems and finances.

Moya is a trans* autistic Culture-associated feminist science witch who believes in commons that are collectively taken care of to the benefit of everyone, rather than individualistic approaches for fixing problems for just a select few. Their pronouns are she/any (that is, she as default, but xyr also love if you chaotically mix any pronouns for her.) She is a full-time activist, part of various communities spread across several cities, exists on trains in between these a lot, loves learning and listening, has a self-made cyber system to keep track of knowledge, tasks and memes, helps organize kinky safer spaces for queer and neurodivergent people and tries to overthrow capitalism on any scale. It is an ex-fire-fighter, does freelance software development and awareness work, and is also interested in longevity research and fighting death. In short, they are quite literally interested in everything; if she is not hyperfixated on a topic yet, he most certainly will be once you tell her about it. 💜

Nusha is a creative developer and former neuroscientist specializing in blockchain. As founder of ohr, she’s building a streaming platform that values every contributor to club culture. She is committed to creating conscious technologies that empower rather than exploit.

Connector, experience designer, manifestor in Berlin and beyond.

Julio Linares is an economic anthropologist from Guatemala. He holds an Msc in Anthropology and Development from the London School of Economics And Political Science and a MA in Applied Economics and Social Development from National ChengChi University (國立政治大學) in Taipei, Taiwan, where he lived for 6 years. From 2018, he has served as Public Outreach for the Basic Income Earth Network (BIEN), establishing regional and national networks in different continents. His research focus dwells on the relationship between money, direct democracy and basic income. Julio is currently based in Berlin, Germany, where he explored these topics in practice with the Circles UBI project from 2019-2023. His forthcoming book, Decolonizing Money (Pluto 2026) argues for the abolition of the US dollar as a means of achieving a social and ecological just transition.

Ph.D and a few postdocs in Pure Math. Transitioned to Cryptography a few years ago. Taught an extensive course on Elliptic Cures for Cryptography and wrote a book on the subject.

Lena Hierzi is a DevRel Engineer at the Celo Foundation and a contributor to Self Protocol, promoting privacy-preserving infrastructure in the Web3 space. With roots in ethical AI research, privacy, and accessibility design, Lena focuses on educating builders about decentralized identity solutions that protect users, especially those from the global majority.

Johanna Sieben is the Director of the Creative Bureaucracy Festival, a platform that highlights creative approaches to public sector work and brings together people from government, civil society, and beyond to explore how bureaucracy can be a driver of democratic and societal change. Since 2022, she has led the festival’s development, helping to shape its programme, partnerships, and strategic direction. The festival is based in Berlin and draws more than 2,000 participants each year, with contributors from around the world. It provides a stage for both high-level public sector leaders and those working behind the scenes — aiming to showcase a broad range of perspectives on how government can work differently and better. Johanna’s work focuses on creating spaces for exchange across silos and hierarchies, and on surfacing public sector innovations that often remain invisible. She is particularly interested in the everyday work of implementation and in the creative capacities that already exist within public administrations. Her aim is not to idealise bureaucracy, but to ask what becomes possible when we take its role seriously as a democratic infrastructure. Johanna has worked with public institutions, independent initiatives, and cross-sector collaborations — always with a focus on building bridges between disciplines and making complex work more accessible. Johanna studied Cultural Studies and brings both analytical and practical perspectives to her role. She believes that public institutions can and should be places of care, learning, and experimentation — and that creative bureaucracy is not a contradiction, but a reflection of the public sector’s potential to adapt and respond to today’s challenges. At the festival and in her broader work, Johanna seeks to connect people who are working towards more imaginative, inclusive, and democratic forms of governance.

Cullen Miller is an engineer, designer, and musician based in Berlin. He is currently the VP of Policy at Spawning, an organization building data governance solutions for AI training datasets. Previously he worked on the design and engineering of technical systems for large-scale immersive media-based architecture projects serving as the Principal Systems Engineer at the Sphere, the Principal Systems Architect on Al-Wasl Plaza, and numerous other immersive environments with Obscura (acq. MSG). He co-founded Channel and directed Gray Area Foundation's public programs.Since 2022, she has led the festival’s development, helping to shape its programme, partnerships, and strategic direction. The festival is based in Berlin and draws more than 2,000 participants each year, with contributors from around the world. It provides a stage for both high-level public sector leaders and those working behind the scenes — aiming to showcase a broad range of perspectives on how government can work differently and better. Johanna’s work focuses on creating spaces for exchange across silos and hierarchies, and on surfacing public sector innovations that often remain invisible. She is particularly interested in the everyday work of implementation and in the creative capacities that already exist within public administrations. Her aim is not to idealise bureaucracy, but to ask what becomes possible when we take its role seriously as a democratic infrastructure. Johanna has worked with public institutions, independent initiatives, and cross-sector collaborations — always with a focus on building bridges between disciplines and making complex work more accessible. Johanna studied Cultural Studies and brings both analytical and practical perspectives to her role. She believes that public institutions can and should be places of care, learning, and experimentation — and that creative bureaucracy is not a contradiction, but a reflection of the public sector’s potential to adapt and respond to today’s challenges. At the festival and in her broader work, Johanna seeks to connect people who are working towards more imaginative, inclusive, and democratic forms of governance.

Tux Pacific is a transsexual technologist and the founder of Entropy, a venture-backed cybernetics company building a next generation internet protocol. Tux is an autodidact and polymath. Her experience ranges from software engineering, information security, and cryptography to the arts in painting and music, including hard sciences such as chemistry. Tux is also an individualist anarchist of the left market variety (think freed market anti-capitalism) with a hint of egoism and post-leftism. Tux doesn't believe the revolution will happen, but she believes that the world can be shaped by anarchists working together pragmatically to make immediate change in people's lives through direct action.

Accelerating companies & institutions to create fair digital societies empowered with the Web3: helped startups fundraise $100 mln., leaders deliver keynotes from WebSummit to Blockshow, support PoC sales from UAE to leading oil companies, grow communities to 100K members.

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Extremely enthusiastic ethereum community member